The
time for the LORD's judgment was imminent upon the people of Israel.
Amos the “herdsman fig-picking” prophet declared how God
would “sift the house of Israel among all nations”, and in
chapter nine and verse ten of his prophesy, Amos declared how “all
the sinners” of God's “people shall die by the sword”
where we read:
All
the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say,
The
evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.
The
verse begins, “All the sinners of my people shall die by the
sword,...” Amos began with the words, “All the sinners”
which refers to “the criminals and those accounted guilty who are
exposed to condemnation” “of my people” which means
“God's nation, compatriots, countrymen, kinsmen and kindred”
“shall die” or “be put to death and perish” “by
the sword” which refers to “a knife, dagger, ax, mattocks or
tool for cutting”. The “sword” would be the instrument
by which “the guilty people of Israel” would die.
The
verse continues, “...which say, The evil shall not
overtake nor prevent us.” Amos added, “which say” or
“utter, proclaim and declare”, “The evil” or “the
bad, disagreeable, malignant, unpleasant and displeasing kind”
“shall not overtake” which means “approach or draw near
to” “nor prevent us” which means “will not confront,
go before, come to meet, receive, forestall or anticipate the
people”. Though the LORD told them people through His prophets they
would be defeated by their enemies, the people didn't believe they
would be overtaken by them.
When
we meditate upon these words of Amos, we see how thorough the LORD
was in His judgment against the people in Israel. Even as they were
in unbelief that any “evil”
would “overtake or prevent them”, their judgment was close at
hand. Many today do not believe there will ever be a day when God's
hand shall come against them, but as these people in Israel were
mistaken, so are they. Jesus Christ came to “save” people from
the future pending judgment that awaits all of us - “And
as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27). Those who receive Jesus Christ as
their personal Savior and LORD shall find mercy and grace from God
extended toward them. Those who do not receive Him shall be
condemned. Oh that we might understand the gravity of the imminent
judgment of the LORD and turn to Him in repentance before it is too
late.
Next
time Amos shares how God “will
raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment